Experimental Analysis of Dust Explosion Potential in Indonesian Biomass Charcoal for Nickel Industry Applications

Indonesia, the world's leading nickel producer with 1.6 million tons produced and 55 million tons in reserves as of 2023, relies heavily on Rotary Kiln-Electric Furnace (RKEF) methods for processing its nickel ore, where coal serves as reductant and energy source, contributing to high CO2 emissions. To support net-zero emissions by 2060, biomass charcoals from agricultural wastes (coconut shells, palm kernel shells, rubber wood, and mixed wood) offer a potential renewable alternative to coal. However, dust explosion risks in high-temperature RKEF environments necessitate evaluation. This study assesses explosibility parameters of these charcoals, pure and mixed with electrostatic precipitator (ESP) dust, using a 20 L explosion chamber per ASTM E1226-19 and E1515-22. Results indicate minimum explosible concentrations (MEC) of 155 g/m3 for pure rubber wood charcoal (Kst = 35 bar·m/s, weak explosion) with reductions upon Dust ESP mixing. Coconut and palm kernel shell charcoals showed no explosibility. Compared to coal (MEC ~60 – 100 g/m3), biomass charcoals generally pose lower risks, supporting safer integration in nickel processing.